Shield Squadron : The Scourge Of the Empire
by Tegarend
Summary: Beware Wing Commander Varth And His X-Wing Squadron!


  
I just discovered this site and thought I would write a story. I have just had an exam Technical  
Drawing and am a little brain-dead which is why some parts seem strangely written. English isn't   
my first language which explains some of the spelling and grammar. Review to get additional   
chapters, the concept of two hours ago was to add more chapters but I want to know first how my  
'style' is accepted :-)  
  
The Shield of the Alliance : X-Wing : Shield Squadron  
  
  
Several years after the Battle of Yavin and the   
destruction of the Death Star, Luke Skywalker   
has finished the training at the rebel Academy.   
  
The Alliance, fighting the Empire, has found an ally   
in the Mon Calamarians and their Star cruisers.   
Soon, a convoy will meet a Mon calamarian fleet at   
Noquizvor to enhance those ships with additional turbolasers.   
  
Meanwhile, the Emperor, wanting to strike at the Alliance   
and the criminals from the fringe, has ordered   
his fleet to seek and destroy smugglers and pirate bands.  
  
  
Dramatis Personae  
  
Wing Commander Varth - leader of Shield Squadron, human male from Correlia  
Flight Leader Akur - Shield 2, human male from Correlia  
Lieutenant Tarn Mison - Shield 3, human male from Alderaan  
Wing Commander Narra - leader of red Squadron, human male from Ubizza  
Lieutenant Antilles - Red 2, human male from Correlia  
Lieutenant Skywalker - Red 3, human male from Tatooine  
Derek 'Hobbie' Klivian - Red 4, human male from Ralltir  
Wes Janson - Red 5, human male from Tanaab  
Tycho Celchu - Red 6, human male from Alderaan  
Commander Ackbar - leader of the Mon Independence, mon calamarian male from Mon Calamari  
  
Prince Xizor - leader of Black Sun, Falleen male from Falleen  
Guri - android, purchased by Prince Xizor  
Darth Vader - dark lord of the sith, commander of the Executor, human cyborg   
from Tatooine  
Emperor Palpatine - Lord of the known galaxy, human male from Naboo  
Major Soontir Fel - commander of Knight Squadron, human male from Correlia  
Colonel Evir Derricote - wing commander of 181st Imperial Fighter Wing, wing   
commander of saber Squadron, human male.  
  
  
Navaran System - 3 Years After The Battle Of Yavin - Shortly Before The Battle Of Hoth  
  
A Star destroyer moves to orbit the third planet of this system. Several smaller ships and TIE fighters surround it.   
  
The bridge of the Imperial I Star Destroyer Extinguisher - Admiral Zovac speaking to a hologram of a grand admiral.  
  
to holo : Yes sir, I will deploy the fleet to search for Black Sun agents, as ordered. Extinguisher out.   
  
Hologram fades away, captain Ovin moves closer after a beckoning call.  
  
Disperse the Fleet, Captain. Grand Admiral Makati has ordered us to stop our search for rebels here and to seek and destroy pirates.  
  
Pirates working in the Cassint Sector? I wonder what there is to plunder here, sir. There are less inhabited worlds here than poets in a Hutts' palace.  
  
The Emperor has ordered us to cut down our search for the Alliance. I suppose that he has a plan to draw them out of their hiding holes. We will get another chance to kill those alien-lovers.  
  
Warrant Officer Brandei calls out :  
  
Captain Ovin, the Kiric is calling us for orders.  
  
Admiral, ...?  
  
Tell Captain Convarion to take the Kiric and the Nemodan to the Xandra system. Set your course for the Derra IV system, captain, and order the other ships to scout the other systems in the Navarra district. And try to get communications to Captain Niriz. I will be in my private Quarters for now. If you have communications established, call me.  
  
  
  
  
Docking Bay 15-33, Lepan City - Okul III in the Xandra System.  
  
A freighter, a JM-5000 is landed in the bay and several aliens, humans and droids surround it. Fevon Vrollu, a Frippid, starts speaking to Jenth, a human of twenty-some years   
  
Well Jenth, you were the chosen from our cell to fight with the Alliance itself. It has suffered a grave loss of personnel during the Evacuation of Yavin, and you will be one of their new troopers. It will be a hard existence, but while you will face the Empire openly, we will continue our undercover work here. It is as dangerous, but at least you can show our defiance. I hope to see you again, but I fear that will never happen again.  
  
Jenth's mother comes forward, hugging her son a last time.  
  
We should never have included you in our rebellious movement. Now I risk losing you like I lost your father and your uncle.   
  
Mother, I chose to join them, not you. How could I know that father and uncle Rovan ... and you fought them as brave as I did.  
  
The captain of the freighter, a Sullustan names Barska Unmba, exits his ship and starts chattering. One of the droids, a protocol droid called D-3PO startes translating:  
  
Captain Unmba asks if you wish to board his transport now, master Jenth, and good luck.  
  
Jenth waves and says them all goodbye. When the Night Wish leaves the planet's gravity well, they see a star destroyer leaving hyperspace. He walks to the cockpit, where Unmba and is co-pilot droid start working the nav computer.  
  
Let's hope these didn't come for us.   
  
The sullustan starts to chatter, and without a translator present, Jenth realizes he can't understand the pilot and will have a boring week to look forward to.  
  
  
  
A skyhook high above Coruscant : the Imperial City. Zoom in to the highest spire. Prince Xizor, the overlord of the Black Sun organization, sits in his Audience Chamber and listens to general Doran, a member of Makati's staff and on his paylist.  
  
... according to Imperial Document XS0460532, lord Makati has decided to stop searching for signs of Alliance ships and to start a pogrom against the criminal organizations in his sectors.   
  
Including the Cassant Sector, general? I thought I had an agreement with you to stop imperial operations in that sector, which sees most of my spice transports from Kessel to Ord Caasi. In exchange you got, what was it? 100000 credits perannual? Is this how my generosity is paid, general?  
  
The general shows some nervous ticks, but proceeds :  
  
But, my lord, what can I do about this? It is an Imperial Order, and these orders come from Grand Admiral ...  
  
A disguised panel in the wall slides open, and two black sun operatives leave it. Xizor reflects on how he would like a way to kill underlings who fail their commitments like Vader, his rival does. The two operatives gag Doran and shove him in the side room. Xizor presses a com key worked in his chair and calls his aide :  
  
Lebennin, could you call Vigo Zutton for me.   
  
Yes my lord.  
  
Five minutes later, a flustered Arcona enters the audience chamber.  
  
Zutton, what do you know about rebel activities in the Cassant Sector.  
  
My Lord, on such short notice... I have a mole in the Rebel Fleet, and through him I shall try to get information about their actions.   
  
The alien leaves the room and leaves the Underlord cursing fate and his inept subordinates.  
  
  
  
  
A palace on the surface of Coruscant, almost directly under Xizors' skyhook. Zoom in on a window showing a brutal combat occuring. A black-cloaked and dark-visored warrior fights with a lightsaber against two red-cloaked Royal Guards with Force pikes. Although the dark warrior seems undermatched against this unit of cooperating warriors, he easily dispatches them. One of the   
troopers loses his head to an underarmed sweep of the saber, the other is disarmed by the countertrust, although his pike still hits the Dark Lord of the Sith in the shoulder. Enraged from this touch, the black knight clenches his fist and crushes the red warrior's larynx. Darth Vader shuts down his saber, straightens from his combat crouch and examines his robotical hand.  
  
Very well. This hand is as good as the old one. You at least haven't failed me.   
  
The two designers of the cyborg hand stop cowering in the corner of the room, and walk forward. They kneel before the dark lord, and show their gratitude not to be killed like many other bio-engineers on Coruscant. They stand up, bow one last time, and leave the room. Vader waves to a couple of droid servants who dispose of the bodies.   
  
  
  
Anoat System - a space battle between the Empire and an alliance fleet. Several star destroyers are engaging two mon calamarian star cruisers. Surrounding them some correlian corvettes and nebulon frigates deploy their fighters and engage carrack cruisers and escort carriers. X-Wings and Y-Wings combat TIE fighters. A victory class star destroyer is the target of a missile   
volley by Kenobi squadron. Its bow shield collapses, and several torpedoes impact, devastating the front of the destroyer. Several pilots shout their relieve and continue battling.   
  
Bridge of the Independence, flagship of the Alliance Fleet. Commander Ackbar survies the tactical holo of the battle and orders one of his officers to get communications to the Defiance. He then turns toward Wex Dafid, his starfighter coordinator and says :  
  
Order Kenobi Squadron and Unicorn Squadron to target the interdictor cruiser.   
  
But sir, that interdictor is defended by several squadrons of fighters. The Y-Wings will never reach it.  
  
Then escort them with Red Squadron. Ah, captain Nabari, can you give me some cover fire while I try a flanking maneuver to bring me up close to that Imperial-Deuce which guards that interdictor?  
  
Cockpit of Red 2. Wedge Antilles is dodging TIE fighter fire, weaves and hits a bomber he was aiming for. Behind him, the TIE targetting him gets blown away. The X-Wing appearing next moves closer to Wedge and waves his hand. Luke Skywalker gives Wedge a thumb-up and makes an approach on the correlian corvette interdicting the road for Kenobi Squadron to attack the Black Asp.   
  
Luke, look out, you've got a tail.  
  
Luke dodges the attack, cuts his thrust, turns around and fires at the two TIEs attacking him. Without shields, the fighters are doomed and shatter by the salvo. They are all clear now, and throttle up to meet with Commander Narra and Hobbie, who went straight for the corvette. Attacked by two additional X-Wings, and bereft of his TIE fighter escort, the corvette has no   
chance to survive and runs for the Admonitor. The Y-wings are ready for a missile volley and annihilate the shields of the interdictor, forcing the ship to power down his gravity well projectors and make a hyperspace jump. The alliance ships, outgunned and nearly defeated make a last assault on the Imperial forces and hype for the Ord Traassi system, leaving the Imperial Navy in sole control of the Anoat system.  
  
  
  
  
Coruscant : the Imperial Palace. Palpatine's throne Room. The Emperor of the Known Galaxy confronts his greatest ally, Darth Vader. The dark lord seemes displeased with his minion.  
  
Vader, I thought I had ordered thee to destroy the criminal organizations preying on the rightful revenues of my Galaxy. Are you working as hard as you can on this task?   
  
My lord, if I have displeased thee, know that I serve thee to my best. If thou wishes to clean up the Galaxy, I advise thee to start with Xizor. If anyone on Coruscant has links to the fringe, it is the Falleen lord.  
  
The Emperor nods to himself, and the black warrior seems pleased that his advise has reached his master. Then the Emperor speaks :  
  
You and your rivalry with Prince Xizor is not to the good of the Empire. As I need thee, I also have need of Xizor. Why would I do away with him? Do you think he might be plotting against me? I have seen the future, darth, and I know him to be a pittance. He is not worthy of your attention. But you speak truth in one aspect, that there is no-one on Coruscant who leads a criminal   
organization spanning the galaxy. This is the centre of Order, not chaos. You should look to the Outer Rim, there you might find criminal lords. Not here, surely.  
  
The Emperor cackles, but Vader tries one more time.  
  
My lord, is this search the most important nowadays? Surely the Alliance is a bigger threat to you and to the Empire than those petty criminals?   
  
Vader, do not displease me again. Take control of the Executor and go to the Xannri system. Vice-admiral Thrawn will await you there with the Visage, the Inexorable and the Nemesis. Take control of the Search of the Outer Rim and do not come back without results. You are dismissed now.   
  
  
  
  
Coruscant : Imperial Palace. Darth Vader is striding down the Grand Entrance Hall when Prince Xizor calls out to him. The Dark Prince meets the Sith lord and starts speaking to him, oblivious of the scores of ambassadors and bureaucrats walking through the palace.   
  
Lord Vader, can you spare me a few seconds of your precious time? Word has come to my ear that a rebel fleet will meet a convoy at Derra IV in several days. I heard that the Emperor has decided to cut back on the search for Alliance personnel, but this chance is too great to throw away. One of my contacts inside the Alliance can confirm this, if necessary.  
  
Good. Imperial intelligence shall try to confirm your story. If it was real, we will offer you the bounty...  
  
No, no, no. This is just between friends. It is my duty to inform my master of illegal activities, even if happening in the Outer Rim instead of here at the Core.  
  
The leader of Black Sun bows to his powerful opponent, walks backwards for a few steps, while the human stream around him makes way, turns around and leaves the Imperial Palace, while the Sith warrior thinks, and retraces his steps.  
  
  
  
  
Prefsbelt IV : Escort Carrier Mezondar. A shuttle with Imperial Academy markings lands in the third main hangar and disgorges several pilots. The first one, a large, powerfully built human with major markings, walks forward to the bulky colonel Derricote in front of him. He stands to attention and starts speaking to his new commanding officer.  
  
Major Soontir Fel, reporting for command of Knight Squadron, Sir.  
  
The colonel returns the salute and ripostes:  
  
No need for so much ceremony, major. We serve in the Outer Rim, and although we are one of the elite fighter squadrons, we lack somewhat in discipline. Welcome to the 181st Fighter Wing of the Imperial Navy.   
  
He turns around and points to the two officers who walk forward to them.  
  
These are major Doran, the leader of Parry Squadron, and Captain Zalvan, my second in command. I was under the impression that you brought your own executive officer?  
  
Yes, sir.   
  
He points to one of the pilots at the shuttle, and says :  
  
This is lieutenant Phennir. His brother served in the famous Black Squadron.   
  
Yes, he seems to be a very good choice. The other pilots will be divided over the other two squadrons to cover for resent casualties during the battle of Anoat, where Parry Squadron, our only fighter squadron, directly engaged Rogue Squadron. Doran and his two wingmen were the only pilots who survived that battle.  
  
The cocky correlian pilot, full of himself, responds :  
  
With me in the wing, we will become the most proficient fighter wing in the Navy!  
  
  
  
Xannri System : Executor meets the Imperial Class Star Destroyer Admonitor. A shuttle leaves the Admonitor and flies, under severe TIE escort, to the Super star destroyer.   
  
Bridge of the Executor. Admiral Ozzel and Captain Piett stand at a tactical holo of the Outer Rim. Darth Vader stands in front of the bridge, with Vice-admiral Thrawn, a blue-skinned alien at his side. Several Holos of other Imperial Admirals are visible. After planning for a while, all admirals are ordered to their posts, except Admiral Zovac. Darth Vader starts talking to him   
  
Admiral Zovac, you are responsible for Imperial operations in the Cassint Sector, aren't you.   
  
When the officer responds with a nod, Vader asks him why he hadn't notified the assembling of a rebel force in his sector. The admiral, fearing for his life, responds on this accusement by saying that no enemy forces are gathering in his sector. Captain Piett tells Vader that most rebel forces are indeed gathering in the Dantooine Sector. He is ordered to send a force to Derra IV because an enemy convoy should rendezvous there soon. When it arrived, he was ordered to contain them with an interdictor cruiser and warn Death Squadron. The Devastator and the Vengeance were ordered to Navaran and defend the shipyard there.   
  
  
  
On the Escort Carrier Mezondar, all commanding officers are ordered to the Main Command Room. Derricote and Fel are present, together with Major Doran and Commander Velju, captain of the Mezondar. When the orders are given by Admiral Ozzel, lord Vader advises them not to fail the Empire. When the briefing is finished, Fel and derricote head back to the Briefing Room of the   
181st Fighter Wing. They order all pilots inside and start briefing them.   
  
The objective of this mission is to defeat the convoy arriving at Derra IV, before the Alliance Fleet to be refitted arrives. there should be a 25 minute gap between both arrivals, in which our task force will attempt to capture as many resources as possible. After 30 minutes, the Black Asp will withdraw. The rebel fleet will advance after our retreating forces, who can't hype because   
there are too many fighters still not recalled. When the Rebel forces are commited to the battle, Death Squadron will arrive behind the enemy forces and cut off their retreat with additional interdictor cruisers. Our part of the objective will be to defend the Isilmo 1 and 2, the two corvettes assigned to defend the Black Asp. We have to defend the Black Asp, because it cannot be   
allowed to hype before its mission is completed. When the Black Asp evacuates, we will have to continue our fight without back cover by a capital ship. Any questions?  
  
Most of the pilots, still green after the reinforcements, dare ask no questions. Until major Fel takes the word :  
  
Actually, it is an extremely dangerous and suicidal mission. One wing of fighters - only 36 fighters - and two corvettes have to defend the most vital ship of the mission, while most of the enemies force will be exempted against it. We will probably have to go missile-running too. And when the first minor threat is defeated, we will have to continue fighting against a thougher enemy whose only survival road is through us, without back cover of a capital ship.  
  
That is indeed our mission, major Fel, as devised by Vice-admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader. Have you any remarks?  
  
If they have given this mission the green light, then I cannot opt out of it. But it is still dangerous to let a mission depend on 3 fighter squadrons, even if part of an elite wing.  
  
  
  
  
  
Derra IV, the Imperial-Class Star destroyer Extinguisher. On the bridge, Admiral Zovac briefs his senior navy commanders. When the holo's start winking out, one of them stays active. Captain Niriz of the Admonitor, the other imperial star destroyer of the Cassint Sector Fleet, takes the word.  
  
Admiral, why is it that my ship has to wait for the convoy on Derra IV? Your ship is more superbly armed, has more experience, and your pilots know the derra IV system. Your ship is almost permanently stationed there, while it is out of way for the Admonitor.  
  
Captain, you will not question my orders. Extinguisher out!  
  
When the holo disappears, Zovac turns toward his executive officer and says :   
  
I could hardly tell him that Palpatine himself ordered him there because of his pro-alien viewpoints, could I, captain? With the Admonitor blocking their one way of escape, and the Black Asp on our left flank, I reckon we'll be safe to start picking of the enemy freighters at will. Good. At last we shall take revenge for the loss of the Death Star.  
  
  
Caamas system. Several freighters are assembling a convoy here, with a couple of bulk cruisers seeming to stand guard over them. Around the perimeter, an escort frigate really stands guard, together with two flights of X-Wings and an YT-1300 freighter. Another freighter, this one a Correlian JM-5000 exits hyperspace and closes on the fleet. The Falcon and Red 2 and 4 move in to   
inspect.   
  
Unidentified freighter, this is Captain Han Solo of the Rebel Alliance Military. Please state your business in this system.  
  
Both X-Wings take flanking positions around the freighter. Wedge Antilles starts a communication on a squadron channel with Hobbie.  
  
Seems like another freighter for the convoy. Who else would come here, after all? I have never seen a less inviting system in my carreer in the alliance, and I have seen a lot of rotten places.   
  
The Night Wish, having communicated with the Falcon, joins the convoy, when a nebulon-2 escort Frigate, identified as the Huntress, enters the system. It briefs the Convoy with the latest orders from the Independence, and informs them of the brutal execution of two rebel cells on Okul III. When Jenth hears this, he knows that his mother has also been taken away by the Empire. He   
swears to take revenge on the Empire, and is happy to be alive, to kill Imperials like those that killed all of his family and friends.  
  
  
Here it ends. I don't know what stories have already been written about the Derra IV slaughter, but this is an additional one. Please review so I know whether to write more. 


End file.
